Clip-type wire connector



' Apri1'14,197o y @mma-Uw 3,506,944

CLIP-TYPE WIRE CONNECTOR y Filed April 1e, 1968 United States Patent O 3,506,944 CLIP-TYPE WIRE CONNECTOR Robert A. Potruch, Miami Beach, Fla., assignor to Lumidor Products Corporation, Hialeah, Fla., a corporation of Maryland Filed Apr. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 721,659 Int. Cl. H01r 11/20, 1.7/22, 9/28 U.S. CL 339-95 2 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to wire connectors and is particularly directed to a wire connector utilizing an alligator clip for B-wire connectors. This invention is an improvement over my copending application Ser. No. 537,962, which issued as Patent No. 3,378,807, on Apr. 16, 1968, for Wire Connector Clip.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a B-wire connector clip which permits the ready mounting of the connector on the device and an electrical contact readily made with the wires connected to the B-wire connector.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fixed contact pin which engages the metallic shield of the B-wire connector at one end making positive contact therewith while the B-wire connector is yieldingly held in contact position by a coil spring mounted on the other end of the device.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my improved wire connector clip;

FIGURE 2 is an end view, thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view with a B-wire connector shown by dotted lines;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view of a typical B-wire connector.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral refers to my improved wire connector consisting of two parts, namely B-wire holder H and the clip itself C.

The holder H is made preferably of molded plastic or any other non-conductor of'electricity consisting of an elongated flat body portion 11 at the ends of which are upwardly extending flanges or end walls 12 and 13.

The end wall 12 which is provided with a bore 14 and a recess 15, both being concentrically disposed is joined along its side edges to the body portion 11 by tapering side walls 16. The bottom surface of the body portion 11 tapers upwardly as at 17 in the direction of the end wall ICC 13 with a slot 18 formed at the juncture of the body portion 11 and the end wall 12, which slot 19 extends through the body portion 11.

There is an elongated recess formed in the top surface of the body portion 11 receiving an L-'shaped conductor 20 whose leg portion 21 rests against the end wall 12. A bore in the leg portion 21 permits the securing of a metallic fixed pin 23 which extends through the bore 14 of the end wall 12 and engage the leg portion 21 by means of a metal washer 24 welded or otherwise fastened to the pin 23 so that electricity may travel from the pin 23 to the conductor leg 21 and conductor 20.

The conductor 20 is provided with a bore 25 which is aligned with a bore 26 in the main body portion 11 for receiving a bolt 27 that fastens one leg 28 of the metallic alligator clip C to the B-wire holder H making electrical contact with the conductor 20. The nose portion 29 of the alligator clip C extends at an oblique angle in relation to the leg portion 28 so that the upper surface of the nose portion 29 engages with and makes electrical contact with the conductor 20 at the position of the slot 18. The leg portion 30 and nose portion 31 which extend in approximately coplanar relation are pivoted as at 32 to the leg portion 28 and nose portion 29 with a coil spring 33 to maintain the nose portions 29 and 31 in yieldingly closed position.

An insulated conductor 34 is secured at one end to a terminal post 35 fastened to the leg portion 30 of the alligator clip C for directing the electrical current that passed from the pin 23, conductor 21, 20 and to the alligator clip C to an instrument for the purpose of indicating such electrical current.

In order to releasably hold a B-wire connector 40 in place on the holder H a cylindrical member 41 which is slidably positioned in a bore 42 formed in the end wall 13 is provided with head portions 43 and 44 positioned at the ends of the member 41 and a coil spring 45 extending between the end Wall 13 and the head portion 43 to yieldingly maintain the head portion 43 in a direction closest to the pin 23. The head portion 43 is slotted along each side as at 46 for receiving and holding the insulated wires 47 that extend into the B- wire connector.

The B-wire connector 40 is of conventional construction consisting of the two insulated wires 47 and 48 with their ends exposed and in contact relation with a metallic sheath 49 and a plastic cover 50 encasing the metallic shield 49. The plastic cover 50 is provided with a throat portion 51 for receiving the pin 23 to permit the latter to contact the metallic sheath 49.

In the normal use of my wire connector slip 10, the wire end of the B-wire connector 40 is placed against the head portion 43 and force is applied thereon to cause the coil spring to be compressed and the head portion 43 to slide toward the end wall 42. When the open or free end of the B-wire connector 40 is clear of the pin 23, the latter is inserted into the opening 51 and the B-wire connector 40 is released. The coil spring 45 will cause the head portion 43 and the B-wire connector to slide in the direction of the end wall 12 and cause the pin 23 to engage and make electrical contact with the conductor sheath 49 as shown. The electrical energy in the wires 47, 48 will travel through the pin 23, conductor 21, 20 and to the alligator clip C where it can lbe conducted through the wire 34 to an instrument (not shown) or through another wire (not shown) which may be held between the nose portions 29, 31 of the alligator clip.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A B-wire connector clip comprising an elongated body portion having an opening, rst and second end walls extending upwardly at the ends of said body memv 3 ber, each of said end walls having bores extending there-v through, the first end wall having a slida'ble member mounted in said bore and a coil spring mounted on sai-d slidable member yieldingly urging said slidable member in the direction of said second end wall, a conductor member mounted on an upper surface of said body portion and extending along said second end wall, said conductor member having bores in alignment with said bore in said second end wall and in said body portion, a pin extending through said bores in said second end wall and said conductor and engaging said conductor, said pin extending the direction of said slidable member, an alligator clip having a bore and mounted along the lower surface of said elongated body portion and metallic fastening means extending through said bores in said bodyportion, s aid conductor and s aid alligator clip whereby electricalcurrent will be transmitted from said pin to said alligatorclip.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1910 Luther et al. 339-97 4/1968 Glover 339-95 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner P. A. CLIFFORD, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 339-32, 255 

